Active Voice

From Guidevines

A statement where the subject of the verb is the actor, as in, "Sheila ate an apple." Sheila is the subject, and an apple is the object. The object is being acted upon (eaten, in this case) by the subject. Incorporating the actor into the object of the verb, usually with a form of "to be," recasts the statement into passive voice (which see for more information), as in "The apple was eaten by Sheila."

Editors tend to agree that the active voice is superior to the passive voice, but not necessarily in every instance.